Who's Linus? 4 Fake Linus Torvalds' on Twitter

In the run up to LinuxCon (September 21.to 23), the Linux Foundation has today unleashed four fake Linus' onto Twitter and Identi.ca.

A dedicated website explains the action in detail. A music video shows four masked imposters dancing to rap music. The only clue: “...we’ve invited four well-known industry and community leaders to guest tweet as if they were the real Linus Torvalds...” says the Foundation.

News of the Linus imitators will be spread over Linux Foundation accounts via Twitter and Identi.ca. In the final two weeks before the conference in Portland, Oregon, the community will be asked to vote for their favorite fake Linus. The most popular pretender will receive a cocktail shaker in the shape of a silver penguin as prize. The identity of the four will be revealed and the prize awarded on the first day of the conference.

The conundrum will be solved directly after a high quality discussion with Linus Torvalds and his kernel developer colleagues on the first day of the conference.

The conference can also be followed from the comfort of an office chair: Linux Magazine Online will broadcast live per internet streaming, the Torvalds roundtable discussion gratis at 2:00 pm on Sept. 21. To view three days of the conference will cost $99, while the keynotes will be streamed for free.

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The Linux Foundation will be holding its first LinuxCon conference from September 21 through 23 in Portland, Oregon. Linus Torvalds and Mark Shuttleworth will be among the speakers, and Linux Pro Magazine Online will do a live stream, free for the keynotes.

End of September was a meeting of open source experts in Portland, Oregon and Linux Pro Magazine was there with its video camera. Linus Torvalds and developer colleagues at the kernel roundtable, the hotly debated keynote by Mark Shuttleworth and all other presentations are available in our video archives.